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07-03-2010, 08:19 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 477
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Looking for ideas to lower liver enzymes
Hi All -
I am Stage IV and have liver mets. My most recent treatment was TDM1 and now I am on Doxil. I could not stay in the study due to increased liver enzymes after about 7 months. I seem to be tolerating Doxil just fine. My liver enzymes have been 3 times the the top of the normal range and they have stayed there. The bili is just fine. I have not scanned in 3 months but will do so next month.
The plan now is to do blood work weekly. I am looking to do anything possible that I might be able to do to help my liver. I am going to try to eat beets and carrots twice per day. Any other words of wisdom?
PS - 21 years since initial bc diagnosis including the last 4.5 years with mets. My life is still going on as always.... still taking care of my 11 year old son as a single mom and working full time.
Love, Hope, Peace, Carolyn
Thanks in advance for your ideas.
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07-03-2010, 08:35 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Stockton, NJ
Posts: 4,179
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Re: Looking for ideas to lower liver enzymes
Many here have touted milk thistle supplements. I am sure someone will chime in.
I have always heard that with general liver damage, one should avoid fatty foods and of course alcohol.
Acetominphen (tylenol) is also very, very hard on the liver and you should talk to your doctor about taking something else instead if you need something like that (the oncs always recommend Tylenol it seems).
__________________
Kind regards
Becky
Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia
NED 18 years!
Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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07-03-2010, 09:11 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 477
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Re: Looking for ideas to lower liver enzymes
Thanks Becky!
I just found Rich's post on Milk Thistle and it had a link attached so I ordered it online. Not sure about how much to take... Headed to the health food store to buy my juicing supplies and Milk Thistle to tide me over until the mail arrives. Not sure how it helps but I always feel better when I "activate" myself. At least I have the energy to do so thanks to the Decadron from yesterday's chemo... got to get it done today before I crash tomorrow.
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07-03-2010, 06:43 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Hershey, PA. Live The Sweet Life!
Posts: 2,005
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Re: Looking for ideas to lower liver enzymes
Carolyn,
Steph N. used milk thistle. Why not P.M. her and inquire about the dosage?
__________________
Smile On!
Laurel
Dx'd w/multifocal DCIS/IDS 3/08
7mm invasive component
Partial mast. 5/08
Stage 1b, ER 80%, PR 90%, HER-2 6.9 on FISH
0/5 nodes
4 AC, 4 TH finished 9/08
Herceptin every 3 weeks. Finished 7/09
Tamoxifen 10/08. Switched to Femara 8/09
Bilat SPM w/reconstruction 10/08
Clinical Trial w/Clondronate 12/08
Stopped Clondronate--too hard on my gizzard!
Switched back to Tamoxifen due to tendon pain from Femara
15 Years NED
I think I just might hang around awhile....
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07-06-2010, 08:12 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Location: California
Posts: 668
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Hi from Adriana
Carolyn,
Drink pineapple juice and lots of it, it will do the trick, guaranteed. I won't do any herbs, you never know it may not get along with the chemo you are on.
Ask the doc, before if you still decide to take the Thistle, though.
Stay well,
Adriana
__________________
1994 - rt brst, .lump, underarm node dissection,chemo+rad 1.2 cms, Grade 3.
28 nodes neg
Er,Pr, Positive HER2 status unknown
2003- Recur to rt lung.July 16 ( B-Day!)
Her2+++ Er,Pr, Negative
2003 - Aug04--Navelbine + Herceptin
2004- 2007--NED - Herceptin, only
2007 Feb-April Xeloda added to hereceptin
2007-May Back on Navelbine+Herceptin
2008-Feb-Mar 15 Ses Rad to Rt. Lung
2008- Oc 17 Add Tykerb to Herceptin
2009- June-- Discont Tykerb
2009 July 7--Current Taxol + Herceptin
2009 Dec--Discontinued treatment due to progression. Looking into cyberknife.
2010-Aug Accepted to TDM1, no SE, except liver count went up.
2010-2011 September got kicked out of the trial, due to a small spot found on lung.
2011- 2012 September thru early 2013 on Herceptin
2013- March Bone density shows small spot on 5th rib.
2013 - April 4th appt with onc. will post after discussing course of treatment.
2013-March-April Cyber knife to brain and radiation to rib. Chest --base line before chemo-CT-Scan stable for lung issue. CA2729 Normal.
2013 April Herceptin- TDMI
2013 Sept Herceptin + Perjeta . CA2729 within normal range. Brain and Pet scans October 31st. will post results.
2013 October Brain MRI- mixed response. Will see Onc/rad on Halloween.
2013 October/November Brain-MRI nothing new. Repeat MRI next year in May.
2013 December Continue Herceptin and Perjeta. Stable at the moment.
2014 February Brain MRI -clear!
2014 January Added Taxotere to Perjeta+Herceptin.
2014 March Stopped chemo-chest ct-scan next.
2014- March Scans shows tumor's larger, CA2729 higher. Discontinue Herceptin.
2014 April Perjeta+ Halaven
2014 April CA2729 went down 60 points after one cycle. Cough does not want to go away.
2014 June Continue on Perjeta + Halaven-- no more cough. Stable
2014 June Back on Herceptin + abraxane
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07-06-2010, 08:44 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 3,142
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Re: Looking for ideas to lower liver enzymes
I have taken milk thistle everyday for the last 11 1/2 years. I never had elevated liver enzymes even during chemo. I never had liver mets.
Pineapple has bromelin (spelling) which is anti inflamatory, but it also has alot of acid, so those people who have trouble with acid should limit pineapple. I live in Hawaii and can't eat too much pineapple.
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07-07-2010, 05:30 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Central Coast, CA
Posts: 3,207
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Re: Looking for ideas to lower liver enzymes
hmmm. hadn't heard about the pineapple! I'll try that. I've also taken milk thistle with doctors blessings, even on the tdm1 study.
still not "normal" on my lft's either.
__________________
Chris in Scotts Valley
June 2002 extensive hi grade DCIS (pre-cancer-stage 0, clean sentinal node) Mastectomy/implant - no chemo, rads. "cured?"
9/2004 Diag: Stage IV extensive liver mets (!) ER/PR- Her2+++
10/04-3/05 Weekly Taxol/Carboplatin/Herceptin , complete response!
04/05 - 4/07 Herception every 3 wks, Continue NED
04/07 - recurrence to liver - 2 spots, starting tykerb/avastin trial
06/07 8/07 10/07 Scans show stable, continue on Tykerb/Avastin
01/08 Progression in liver
02/08 Begin (TDM1) trial
08/08 NED! It's Working! Continue on TDM1
02/09 Continue NED
02/10 Continue NED. 5/10 9/10 Scans NED 10/10 Scans NED
12/10 Scans not clear....4/11 Scans suggest progression 6/11 progression confirmed in liver
07/11 - 11/11 Herceptin/Xeloda -not working:(
12/11 Begin MM302 Phase I trial - bust:(
03/12 3rd times the charm? AKT trial
5/12 Scan shows reduction! 7/12 More reduction!!!!
8/12 Whoops...progression...trying for Perjeta/Herceptin (plus some more nasty chemo!)
9/12 Start Perjeta/Herceptin, chemo on hold due to infection/wound in leg, added on cycle 2 &3
11/12 Poops! progression in liver, Stop Perjeta/Taxo/Herc
11/12 Navelbine/Herce[ptin - try for a 3 cycles, no go.
2/13 Gemzar/Carbo/Herceptin - no go.
3/13 TACE procedure
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